1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for the automatic turning over of fish fillets, with each fillet being conveyed lying in flat position, as well as to an apparatus for performing such turning-over method.
2. Prior Art
In modern high capacity filleting lines of the fish processing industry, it is a question of ensuring that the fillets, without being touched by hand, pass reliably through the individual fillet processing stations. The fillets must e.g. be oriented in the correct manner for skinning, which, depending on the filleting machine type used, can make it necessary for the fillets to be reversed both about the longitudinal and the transverse axis, whilst ensuring that the fillets are conveyed lying flat.
Such an apparatus is disclosed by DE-OS No. 14 54 072. This apparatus uses a reversibly driven conveyor belt above which ends a further conveyor belt supplying the fillets, the reciprocal spacing between the belts being smaller than the length of the fillets to be handled. In the end region of said conveyor belt is provided a fillet-displaceable operating device, which ensures that the lower conveyor belt rotates in the opposite direction on actuation and in the same direction in the inoperative position. This ensures that the fillets are turned over sideways and lengthways. As a result of the reversing operating mode, such an apparatus is unable to comply with modern performance requirements.
3. Objects of the Invention
It is therefore the main object of the present invention to propose a method and an apparatus complying with these requirements.
It is a further essential object of the invention to ensure by applying such method that the fillets can be taken over safely lying in a flat position.